Gazelles, and Mulks. T he approach to Cajhmere is alfo very
rugged and difficult. We have mentioned the mountains of
Bember ; befides thofe is one on which the pioneers of Aurenge-
zebe were obliged to cut through a gbaciere, or a great mafs,
as Bernier calls it, of icy fnow*.
T h e capital of this happy fpot is fometimes called Cajhmere,
fometimes Sirinagur, and fometimes N a g a zi, is feated in
Lat. 340 12' North, on the banks of the river, which runs with
a current moll remarkably fmooth. At a little diftance from it
is a fmall but beautiful lake, with a communication with the
river by a navigable canal. The town was, in Bernier's. time,
three quarters o f a French league long, built on both lides, and
fome part extended to the lake. Villas, Mofques, and Pagodas,
decorate feveral of the little hills that border the water. The
houfes are built of wood, four itories high, fome higher ; the
lower is for the cattle, the next for the family, the third and
fourth ferve as warehoufes. The roofs are planted with tulips,
■which in the fpring produce a wonderful effect. Rofes, and
numherlefs other flowers ornament this happy clime. The
inhabitants often vilit the lake in their boats for the pleafure
of hawking, the country abounding with cranes, and variety
o f game.
River Behut T h e r iv e r, w h ich rifes at Wair N aig, near the fouthern part o f
orIhlbm. the furrounding mountains, flows .with a north-weftern courfe
b y the capital, and falls into lake 0 utter, w h ich is fifty-thre e
miles in leng th , and lies in the northern part o f thè valley, not
remote from the kingdom o f great Thibet, then paffes th ro u gh
th e outlet at Bar.ehmoo.leh, between two fteep mountains, and
* P. 103. f By Cherefiddih, in his Life of Timur Bee, ii* 96.
from
from thence, after a long courfe, to its junction with the
Chunaub. This river is large and navigable, even within the
limits o f Cajhmere. Bernier, p. 84. fays, it carries boats as
large as thofe on the Seine at Paris. Many fmall lakes are
fpread over the furface, and fome o f them contain floating
illands. Among others, Bernier, p. 118. vifited one, which he
calls “ A great lake amidft the mountains, which had ice in
“ fummer, and looked like a little icy fea, having heaps of ice
“ made and unmade by the winds.” This reminds me of the
coalition and reparation of the ice in the Spitzbergen feas. This
in queftion may be like the Ouller, for I fee none o f any fize in
the maps, excepting that expanfe of water.
A m o n g the miraculous waters o f the natives, he reckons a
periodical fpring, or the ebbing and flowing well o f Sandbrare,
which has near to it the temple of the idol o f Brare, The reader
may amufe himfelf with the account, from p. 105 to n o o f this
favorite writer, and at p. 117 thofe o f another, much of the
fame nature.
T h e author of the Ayeen Akberry dwells with rapture on the
beauties of Cajhmere\ whence we may conclude, that it was a
favorite fubje£t with his matter Acbar, who had vifited it three •
times before Abulfazel wrote. Other emperors of Hindoojlan
vifited it alfo, and feemed to forget the cares of government
during their refidence in the h a p p y v a l l e y . By the falubrity
of the air, and the chearing beauties o f the place, they colle&ed
new vigor to refume the cares o f government. The remains
of the palaces, pavilion, and gardens, exhibit proofs of their
elegance and fplendor. It appears, that the periodical rains,
which almoft deluge the reft o f India, are Ihut out of Cajhmere
b y